KGB Bar
85 E. 4th St. (Bowery & 2nd Ave.)
East Village 212.505.3360
Much, much further downtown, there’s the KGB Bar, known for the steep staircase you have to ascend to get there and the Soviet kitsch inside—KGB has an impressive collection of propaganda posters and the like. Back in the 1940s, the space housed the local headquarters of a Ukrainian socialist party, but now it’s a pretty chill bar with friendly service where you can actually hear yourself talk, at least on weekdays. It attracts its fair share of NYU students, though generally they’re not the “Woohoo, I’m drunk” type of undergrad. An established writers’ hangout, KGB also offers a variety of literary events and readings.
www.kgbbar.com
Anyway Café
34 E. 2nd St. (@ 2nd Ave.)
East Village 212.533.3412
Tiny, a bit off the radar, and very dark (but with an outdoor patio), this East Village bar lets you pretend you’re a Russian ex-pat in France whose thinking was just a bit too out-of-the-box for the Motherland. The menu combines the best of Russian and French cuisines—try the caviar (salmon and osetra) and crepe plates, as well as the
pelmeni filled with salmon and caviar ($13), and you’ll have the best of both worlds. Another draw is the café’s own homemade, organic vodka, which comes in flavors like mango, honey ginger and watermelon—or try one of the signature martinis ($9) while soaking in the free live jazz.
www.anywaycafe.com
